The Greater Game
by lamyka
Summary: Humans, Aliens, & Predators can't be the only ones running the show in space....and very soon a clan finds out Yautja have secretly been prey for another. (introducing a new race, action, and maybe some spinoffs after i get this story complete)
1. Impending Hunt

Disclaimer: I don't own Predator, Aliens, blah blah etc. I do own the ideas for these characters. Please review and tell me what ya think ;-) though my updates will be slow it'll be consistent.

**Chapter 1:**

They had been watching them for nearly two days. Behind cold expressionless eyes she watched as the ships readings showed on her screen. Among the many accessories of her suit she prized it's ability to bring the information she needed right upon her eyepieces. Though she had many things in common with her current prey she was not to be mistaken for Yautja. Where they were all bulk and brute strength she and her race were sleek and light. They're suits covered them from head to toe giving them the ability to sustain and repair their bodies but also to attach and integrate technology. She clicked her metal claws upon the ship's consol contemplating her next move. The Yautja had no clue that they were even being tracked, much less unsuspecting prey.

Meanwhile onboard the Yautja ship...

K'trak'iin watched his clan's Unblooded train fiercely in the keh'rite. This would be the third group to go down to the planet. These were the weakest of the clan and as such he had felt that he did not need to lead them himself. He growled, disgusted, as he watched a warrior young and proud be overpowered by one of the just recently blooded warriors with ease. With his luck this batch would all be killed and cleansed from his clan. K'trak'iin's clan had been relatively large to begin with but now with his recent hunts more had flocked to join. While this caused him to beam with pride it gave him no end of irritation when weak Yautja attempted to join. He tugged on one of his ari'nii'ede thinking of the last two Sacred Hunts he had leaded. Such fine warriors had been made that day, a true credit to his clan. He had killed many kainde amedha bringing back only the one that had nearly taken his life. Crouching above him quietly the kainde amedha had not attacked him with his brethren but waited until K'trak'iin had taken down three drones. Not anticipating another attack in the lull the drone surprised the Yautja—if K'trak'iin had rolled a second later the blow he received with the tail would have been fatal. Instead it was K'trak'iin who drove his spear into the drone bestowing the final blow. Bringing his mind back to the present K'trak'iin called out to Vr'telk, the one presently overseeing the Unblooded. Vr'telk walked over to the K'trak'iin with a frown of frustration. He respectfully waited for his clan leader to speak first even though they were close friends.

"You look unhappy Vr'telk."

"How can I not be?" Vr'telk gave a disgusted grunt, "this last group is a disgrace—you see that one over there? He's fallen down on his own 3 times in practice! I don't understand how he even survived to live so long!" K'trak'iin laughed, mandibles clicking, as he sighed to himself—for what he had to say next would infuriate Vr'telk even further. "Well then it's a good thing I'm sending you to guide them through their Blooding ritual."

"**WHAT?!**" Vr'telk roared, "K'trak'iin you can't be serious!" K'trak'iin's hairless eyebrow rose, though they were friends he was still their Clan leader. Vr'telk turned a darker shade of green then bowed his head, "It would be an honor clan leader." With that said he turned on his heel and went back to training, stopping only to scream at an unfortunate Unblooded in his path.

Planet side...

A seeding ship had been sent and already bodies of local wildlife with burst open chests lay about the grassland clearing. The sleek bodies of drones ripped apart lay festering along side their hosts. Within the nearby forest another single drone ran at top speed. Something was catching up, and catching up damn fast. It stopped for a moment unsure of which way to go. It heard for only a brief moment the snap of a twig, turning its head it faced another Alien. But something was different about this other alien it was sleeker, stronger...and hungry. Screeching its fury the smaller alien turned its head from side to side. Slowly it was surrounded by more of these similar looking though wholly different aliens. Its screams were the last thing it heard as the others pounced and consumed its acidic flesh.


	2. Two Rocks for One Prey

Disclaimer: I don't own Predator, Aliens, blah blah etc. but I own the obvious characters that I created...btw, this story started out as one thing but it's starting to branch in a different direction—so pardon the lateness :P

**Chapter 2:**

Three flat panels extended around Sy'ra. Typing upon one she saw the hive, which she had seeded, spreading and growing. They had already consumed the offspring of the Yautja sent xenomorphs, leaving no trace to make anyone suspect that the xenos upon the planet were anything but average drones. Tapping a clawed finger on the middle consol she watched the other ship launch a smaller ship, descending to the planet below. Finally, turning her attention to the third panel she sent a com-link to V'klir.

"My Lord?", V'klir's voice echoed in her mask.

"Get ready to launch." lips curling in anticipation she bared her fangs, this would be a _special_ hunt and she wouldn't allow a single mistake.

Planet side...

Vr'telk scanned the area where the seed ship had landed, preparing to land alongside. This crew of amateurs would get him killed, at least he had thought to bring a plasma canon of his own for any "eventualities." Were he going with proper hunters he would never have disgraced the Sacred Hunt with such weaponry, but considering the young on his ship, he'd probably need it. When the hive killed all of them off he'd need to take on the kainde-amedha alone. He chuckled to himself. If these young were all killed he'd finally be rid of their bumbling idiocy.

Spreading out in defensive positions around the dropship, the Yautja young and their leader surveyed their surroundings. They could see the chestbursters had already hatched, insects gathering around the bodies. The cover around the ship wasn't dense so they were forced to stay on the ground. Moving slowly on the forest floor they continued on. Vr'telk signaled for an "all-stop." His mask had picked up movement nearby, no doubt the kainde-amedha. His brain jumped from tactic to tactic, they could charge upon the hard meat as one, or he could let the Unblooded fan out and pursue each on its own. Deciding that to charge as one would most likely make it easier for the weaker ones to hide behind his strength, he once again motioned for the others to fan out. If they were truly worthy of his clan's mark then they would survive their own hunts and prove themselves.

The slight movement Vr'telk had picked earlier was kainde-amedha movement but what he failed to pick up were the other signs of Sy'ra and her hunting party. They lay in wait, monitoring the movements of this small hive. Sy'ra could not help thinking that this trip was a waste of time as she watched two warriors, even though unblooded, stepped on leaves with almost reckless abandon. _Great Ky'ral_, she thought, _in your wisdom you have sent us to collect **this**?_ Putting such insubordinate thoughts on the side she moved to encircle this group of younglings. Even though she knew they could not hear them she whispered to V'klir. "Disable the ship," crouching further to minimize the space she took up, "Bring them down earlier than scheduled, I want at least _some_ of these younglings to survive."

A nod was all she received, as he began tapping things out on his wrist computer. A sneer crossed her face as she thought of V'klir's obedience; did he hope to win the right to mate her by showing his devotion to the clan? Her sneer faded as she thought of her previous mate, although human he had been a great Hunter. Disgusted with the way her thoughts were degrading while on mission Sy'ra focused her mind on the task at hand. Many things could go wrong on the Greater Game, and she had to make damn sure that it didn't.


End file.
